Beckett gets the win tonight 2-1 on a late 2-run hr by Nixon.Most interesting part of the game: with a 1 run lead in the 9th and Foulke ready to go, Papelbon came in to get the save. He pitched a perfect 9th with 2 strikeouts.Trot Nixon on WEEI after the game: "The sky's the limit with Pap."

Karl: She was a bit -- what's the word that you can use, cuz I don't wanna offend anyone?
Steve: Was she a homeless person?
Karl: Yeah but sort of mental homeless.

Beckett gets the win tonight 2-1 on a late 2-run hr by Nixon.Most interesting part of the game: with a 1 run lead in the 9th and Foulke ready to go, Papelbon came in to get the save. He pitched a perfect 9th with 2 strikeouts.

Foulke wasn't ready to go. He wasn't warmed. He didn't even have his jacket off. It is surprising though. I figured that Foulke would be closer until he blew it.I wonder if this is an effort to reinvigorate the closer-by-commitee idea. Papelbon will be the bullpen ace and come in for all the tight spots, and Foulke will mostly pick up the cheap 2 and 3 run saves. Good call on the Red Sox thread. I need Sox talk, and I'm sure most of the other posters would want me polluting the other threads.

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca

Oh my....look at what I have started.Oh, and my Royals thread is better. If I can't have the better team..then by God you'd better believe I'll at least have the better thread..lol. Oh...and BoSox shouldn't go closer by committee. Give Pap the job....Foulke's been shaky for a while now...try and trade him I say..some desperate team will give Boston something worthwhile for him.

Oh my....look at what I have started.Oh, and my Royals thread is better. If I can't have the better team..then by God you'd better believe I'll at least have the better thread..lol. Oh...and BoSox shouldn't go closer by committee. Give Pap the job....Foulke's been shaky for a while now...try and trade him I say..some desperate team will give Boston something worthwhile for him.

Don't worry Koop, we can't challenge your thread.I have no real idea what Sox intend to do about the closer job on the long term. Personally, I want Papelbon in for the tight spots, and I think that's what we'll see. If Foulke gets his act together, then he can probably get it back...or if a starter gets hurt. I don't think we'd get much for Foulke. He's still owed like 18 million, pitched like crap last year, lost his job to a second year pitcher with 40 innings major league experience this year, and needs injections to lube up his knees.

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca

Don't worry Koop, we can't challenge your thread.I have no real idea what Sox intend to do about the closer job on the long term. Personally, I want Papelbon in for the tight spots, and I think that's what we'll see. If Foulke gets his act together, then he can probably get it back...or if a starter gets hurt. I don't think we'd get much for Foulke. He's still owed like 18 million, pitched like crap last year, lost his job to a second year pitcher with 40 innings major league experience this year, and needs injections to lube up his knees.

Foulke is owed 18 million!??! Is that for one year...or spread out over a few years??

Foulke is owed 18 million!??! Is that for one year...or spread out over a few years??

This season and next. About 18 mill.Edit: I'm looking it up now. There might be an option year or something and I could be way off on how much we owe him.Edit 2: I think his contract is 26.5/4 and he's colllected around 10 so far. Not sure if the last year is an option year.

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca

Foulke wasn't ready to go. He wasn't warmed. He didn't even have his jacket off.

Yeah but he was ready to go in general...not injured or something.

KowboyKoop, on Wednesday, April 5th, 2006, 7:13 PM, said:

Oh my....look at what I have started.Oh, and my Royals thread is better. If I can't have the better team..then by God you'd better believe I'll at least have the better thread..lol. Oh...and BoSox shouldn't go closer by committee. Give Pap the job....Foulke's been shaky for a while now...try and trade him I say..some desperate team will give Boston something worthwhile for him.

Oh don't worry, I know your thread is better. I just figured I should condense all the Red Sox talk into one thread.Sox could probably get something for Foulke, but I was hoping to see Pap as a starter.

Karl: She was a bit -- what's the word that you can use, cuz I don't wanna offend anyone?
Steve: Was she a homeless person?
Karl: Yeah but sort of mental homeless.

Oh my....look at what I have started.Oh, and my Royals thread is better. If I can't have the better team..then by God you'd better believe I'll at least have the better thread..lol. Oh...and BoSox shouldn't go closer by committee. Give Pap the job....Foulke's been shaky for a while now...try and trade him I say..some desperate team will give Boston something worthwhile for him.

I don't know.. I think depending on how he performs, Paps could earn a spot in the rotation. I think he would make a GREAT #4 guy. This of course all depends on whether or not we get the Foulke of 04 or the Foulke of 05. Foulke could pitch himself out of town by May if he carries over his performance from last season. In that case Paps could make a great closer. If Foulke gets his act together we have even more depth since you can utilize Paps as a bridge man or long reliever. I'd really like to see him get a spot in the rotation though.

I don't know.. I think depending on how he performs, Paps could earn a spot in the rotation. I think he would make a GREAT #4 guy. This of course all depends on whether or not we get the Foulke of 04 or the Foulke of 05. Foulke could pitch himself out of town by May if he carries over his performance from last season. In that case Paps could make a great closer. If Foulke gets his act together we have even more depth since you can utilize Paps as a bridge man or long reliever. I'd really like to see him get a spot in the rotation though.

I'd like to eventually see him in the rotation also. There's no room for him now.

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca

DIE. Bill Buckner Rules!I love Boston but still haven't gotten over it.The most phenomenal post-season in the history of the game.Signed, Disgruntled Yankees Fan (Remember the days of Mattingly? A-Rod put me on the fence, Damon pushed me over. Goddamn Corporation.)

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."

DIE. Bill Buckner Rules!I love Boston but still haven't gotten over it.The most phenomenal post-season in the history of the game.Signed, Disgruntled Yankees Fan (Remember the days of Mattingly? A-Rod put me on the fence, Damon pushed me over. Goddamn Corporation.)

Um, okay I'm thoroughly confused. You love that the Sox lost in '86, you love Boston, you haven't gotten over something (us beating you in '04?) and XXXXXX was the most phenomenal post-season in the history of the game. 1986?? I would argue very adamantly against that.

Karl: She was a bit -- what's the word that you can use, cuz I don't wanna offend anyone?
Steve: Was she a homeless person?
Karl: Yeah but sort of mental homeless.

I just looked down at the bottom of the page and saw you were on so I knew there had to be a post and voila!1. I love Boston, the city and its inhabitants (Fenway is the best ballpark EVER)2. Mookie Wilson3. 2004 postseason4. Not over #3 (ie winning the Big One)5. Manny Ramirez is a douchebagYou're from Brooklyn?!?

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."

I just looked down at the bottom of the page and saw you were on so I knew there had to be a post and voila!1. I love Boston, the city and its inhabitants (Fenway is the best ballpark EVER)2. Mookie Wilson3. 2004 postseason4. Not over #3 (ie winning the Big One)5. Manny Ramirez is a douchebagYou're from Brooklyn?!?

POST # 1000 baby!!! Yeeha!1.Me too2.Is a douche3.ruled4.ah5.Yeah but he can ****ing hit6.No I grew up in Boston, moved here after college.

Karl: She was a bit -- what's the word that you can use, cuz I don't wanna offend anyone?
Steve: Was she a homeless person?
Karl: Yeah but sort of mental homeless.

Getting this back on track....Clement was stunningly good tonight for the first six innings. He looked every bit as good as Schilling and Beckett. He looked like he had confidence. He had usually good control He had movement on his pitches. Most impressive is how bad he made the Orioles hitters look. They were swinging at sliders whipping off the outside corner, sinkers in the dirt, and best, way behind his fastballs. He came apart as he tired, but this is a Matt Clement we haven't seen at least since before his unfortunate head injury. The offense was devastatingly good tonight. Youkilis was on base five times. Manny started hitting. Trot had another home run, etc...Seanez sucked. Sucked bad. Sucked like he has been sucking since he put on the Sox uniform again. He's had a few good years in a row, so he can certainly put it together. Unlike last year, we have a number of arms (Delcarmen, Hansen, Van Buren, and eventually Lester) within the organization that can easily replace him. That said, combine him with Riske (not looking so good), Tavarez (headcase), and Timlin (showing signs of old age) and we may have to see these arms sooner than anticipated. Foulke looked better tonight. He was locating pitches a little better and the contact was much weaker. Considering that Papelbon was warming in the eighth when the Orioles were threatening to make it close again (after the Sox had an 11-0 lead....wtf?) and that Foulke came in for the ninth up by 6, it's absolutely clear who the relief ace is.Edit: Youkilis also has a long way to go at first base. I believe that the seventh inning started by Youkilis cutting off a ball that was hit towards second base. No one was able to cover in time. This is not the first time he's done that in this young season.

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca

What a line for Daniel Cabrera, the Orioles starter:1.1 IP, 3 H, 7 R, 7 ER. 7 BB, 1KIt's a rare occasion when I lose track of how many bases-loaded walks there are in a game. Or an inning. Someone should look up the record for walks given up in a 9-inning game. I would hope that 14 would be close.

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca

One funny note from the game:They showed a clip of Millar talking to Ortiz before the game with Millar doing his imitation of Ortiz hitting the home run off Millwood. What nearly escaped my noticed was Millar's shirt. Though the writing was a little funky, it clearly read, "Gangsta ****." No blurring or censoring whatsoever. About midway through the piece, I think Millar became cognizant of the profanity and obscured it with his hand. I'm amazed no one caught it.

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca